Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 August 3 [2]A starscape is shown with the central band of the Milky Way Galaxy running down the center. Just to the left of the Milky Way is a bright meteor. In the three frame time-lapse image, the meteor explodes and gas and dust drift away. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Milky Way and Exploding Meteor Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Andre van der Hoeven Explanation: In about a week the [4]Perseid Meteor Shower will reach its maximum. Grains of icy rock will [5]streak across the sky as they evaporate during entry into [6]Earth's atmosphere. These grains were shed from [7]Comet Swift-Tuttle. The [8]Perseids result from the annual crossing of the Earth through [9]Comet Swift-Tuttle's orbit, and are typically the most active [10]meteor shower of the year. Although it is hard to predict the level of activity in [11]any meteor shower, in a clear dark sky an observer might see a [12]meteor a minute. This year's [13]Perseids peak just a few days after [14]full moon, and so some faint meteors will be lost to the [15]lunar skyglow. [16]Meteor showers in general are best seen from a [17]relaxing position, away from lights. [18]Featured here is a meteor caught [19]exploding during the 2015 Perseids above [20]Austria next to the central band of our [21]Milky Way Galaxy. Tomorrow's picture: arcs unknown __________________________________________________________________ [22]< | [23]Archive | [24]Submissions | [25]Index | [26]Search | [27]Calendar | [28]RSS | [29]Education | [30]About APOD | [31]Discuss | [32]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell ([36]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply. [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices; A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC, [44]NASA Science Activation & [45]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2508/MeteorBoom_vanderHoeven_750.gif 3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/avdhoeven/ 4. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/perseids/ 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150813.html 6. https://www.nasa.gov/general/what-is-earths-atmosphere/ 7. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/109p-swift-tuttle/ 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130813.html 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap960219.html 10. http://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/ 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search?tquery=meteor+shower 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid#Meteors 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240826.html 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240915.html 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150615.html 16. https://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html 17. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://preview.redd.it/comment-funny-cat-pics-cuz-thats-what-the-internet-was-made-v0-eh278ly294cb1.jpeg?width=853&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2baeec6424c8311dcad5389358501e703b56f2e 18. https://www.flickr.com/photos/avdhoeven/20142339228/sizes/c/ 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1508/MeteorBoom_vanderHoeven_750.mp4 20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria 21. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/galaxies/ 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250802.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 28. https://apod.com/feed.rss 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250803 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250804.html 33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/ 43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 45. http://www.mtu.edu/